Catching small fish in tanks full of rock?

[Peter Peng]

I recently bumped into a problem..
I want to make my sand bed a bit deeper but don't want to add sand with livestock in my tank.
I have 20lbs of poris liverock in a 14g biocube and a baby coris wrasse who either burys under the sand or rock.
I have spent so much time trying to catch him but cant.
Any easy way of doing it without taking out the rocks?
any feed back would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

[reecers]

if you really want to catch him see if your local fish store doesn't have a fish trap. If they don't you might have to get one. I personally would just add the sand with him in there. If he already buries under the sand then he should be good with a little sand storm.

If you do get a fish trap you would just put food in the trap and wait. Sooner or later they will figure it out. But make sure the trap will actually fit in your tank.

This coming from a guy with a stocked 40 breeder who just caught a blenny with 30 min with a fish trap.

 

[nivram]

if you really want to catch him see if your local fish store doesn't have a fish trap. If they don't you might have to get one. I personally would just add the sand with him in there. If he already buries under the sand then he should be good with a little sand storm.

If you do get a fish trap you would just put food in the trap and wait. Sooner or later they will figure it out. But make sure the trap will actually fit in your tank.

This coming from a guy with a stocked 40 breeder who just caught a blenny with 30 min with a fish trap.

Sometimes you may have to leave the trap in the tank for some time. Also helps if you only feed fish by placing food in the trap.

 

[pbrano97]

fish trap is your best bet...that or wait til the lights are out for a bit, turn them on quick and be ready with a net.

 

[billwill]

I've had luck with two methods. First, having net in hand while feeding with other hand. Second, for much tougher to catch fish. Very small barbless fish hook with cut up piece of grocery store shrimp. Second method works even after catching multiple fish while others see it happen.

 

[akitareefer]

catching fish is an art. I'd say add the sand slowly over time. Small handful rinsed every day until desired level. No need to remove him

 

[boosted_msp]

Or pour the sand into a PVC pipe and use it to direct the sand exactly where you want it, then siphone the milky water out of the pipe. No mess

 

[reggaedrummin]

You can attach a funnel to a piece of pvc, or use the top half of a soda bottle as your funnel then pour the sand into the funnel and use the pipe to direct the sand. It's much easier to do with a helper. No need to remove fish

 

[MattL22]

+1 to reggae

 

[afamousjohnson]

Ya it will be more stress on the fish to be removed than adding sand and if thats it i would just add the sand. The pvc pipe method helps a lot on directing where the sand goes and on clouding up the water so much as stated above.

If you really want to catch him check out the diy fish trap videos on you tube. I have caught multiple fish with them. Took me a couple weeks to finally get the 1 i was after. Its simple and can be done with fishing line and a 2liter or so soda bottle.